Luke Skywalker - Bacta Tank Outfit (7879) Lego Star Wars Minifigure

“Master Luke it’s so good to see you fully functional again” C-3PO Episode VI The Empire Strikes Back

I guess after heroically dispatching the Death Star at the end of Episode IV A New Hope, our wannabe Jedi needed taking down a peg or two.  Throughout Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker has a pretty torrid time:  mauled by a Hoth Wampa; he crashes his X-Wing on Dagobah; finds out his father is Darth Vader; loses a hand, not to mention being kissed on the lips by his sister.

In the 7879 Hoth Echo Base Lego set released in 2011 we get a completely different Luke Skywalker Lego Minifigure, a unique variant that is not available in any other sets.  I have seen this described as the Bacta Tank Outfit, although the word outfit is probably a bit misleading.  The minifigure links in with the scene in which Luke is seen in recovery immersed and suspended in a Bacta Tank.

The minifigure is made up of four pieces.

The hair is tan coloured and tousled and layered in appearance and is also seen on the Luke Skywalker (Tatooine) minfigure variant from 7965 Millennium Falcon which was also released in 2011.  In 2011 this was a unique piece created especially for Luke, but has since been seen in 10233 Horizon Express (2013) and 10243 Parisian Restaurant (2014).   Prior to this many Luke minifgures had worn tan (blonde) long female hair.

The head piece is light flesh coloured and dual sided.  On one side we have a bacta tank mask instead of a mouth –this is black in colour with a central silver valve and nose clip.  If the head piece is aligned correctly continues into a black breathing tube which is displayed on the front of the Torso.  There are two red circles on the mask at approximately 2 o clock and 9 o clock positions.  The remainder of the face is interesting with a scar and ‘black’ eye on the right side of the face which are defined by orange brown markings.  The eyebrows are described by dark brown thin lines.  The second face print on the rear has a wry (sloping) smile to it and arched eyebrows which seems made for the “I guess you don’t know everything about women yet” moment from the film.  Moving swiftly on.  One of the slight issues with this head piece is that the black eye and scar would have been great on the Luke Skywalker (Hoth) variant from the 8089 Hoth Wampa Cave from 2010, but because Lego have printed the breathing apparatus on the head instead of going for a Cad Bane-like attachment it means we can’t effectively swap it.

Torso-wise we have a double printed torso which is predominantly light flesh in colour with orange-brown markings to pick skin folds/details on the front.  The print is simple displaying the harness (in white) that suspended him in the bacta tank to the front and rear.  In addition the tube from the breathing apparatus is described in dark silver/grey with black line detailing starting at the centre top and curving round to the right side of Luke’s torso.  The torso is completed by light flesh hands and arms.

The Legs have another simple print to the front, being primarily light flesh in colour with white hips.  A light grey harness is seen across the upper legs which is light grey in colour with a silver buckle off-centre on the upper left leg.  The harness also has additional square white buckle?? features.

All in all this is a simple, accurate representation of Luke scantily clad in white briefs and bacta harness.  Within the context of the Bacta Tank and accompanying 2-1B medical droid that are supplied in set 7879 it is difficult to fault this minifigure aside from my previous comment about the breathing apparatus.

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